’Tis the season! It’s about that time where I get lots questions about how best to eat for the upcoming celebrations; how to “not cheat on diets,” “stay trim through the holidays,” “beat the holiday bloat,” etc.

“If I could just figure out how to have more discipline, I’d be better about food.”

While these statements comes from a well-intentioned desire for self care, I always try to discourage my clients from doubling down on discipline. For many, it carries a lot of emotional baggage and is often associated with negativity, such as feelings of failure and inadequacy.

So you’ve set some goals for yourself and you’ve made serious progress on them. Maybe you’ve scheduled in weekly meal prep in hopes of making food choices that feel better for you; perhaps you’ve signed up and attended a new weekly movement class (yogalates pole dancing, anyone?).

But now you’re tired. And you’re not really feeling the motivation and energy that you had about three weeks ago. That’s okay! It’s actually really normal for people to experience some difficulty in keeping up with their new-found habits and I’ve got some ideas for what you can do next......

Fall is my favorite season. I love the changing leaves, the pumpkin-flavored everything and cooler, cozier sweater weather. It’s also the start of bone broth season (YAY)!! I love bone broth because it’s personal - I have fond childhood memories of making it with my mother. We’d break up the bones together (extra fun for an 8-year-old!) while she shared stories of her own childhood memories. When the weather became cooler, I would have a bowl of bone broth as a part of breakfast - and she insisted on a bowl before bed. Anyway, I could talk about my own bone broth story forever, but let’s move forward. Let’s talk about what bone broth really is, it’s benefits and it’s rich world history. Then I’ll share my mother’s recipe - which has been passed down in my family for generations.

Seattle summers are known to be gorgeous and the weather certainly brings us outdoors more. As a result, we spend more time in the sun, exposing our skin to ultraviolet light (UVL) and any toxins that could be floating around in the air. Through exposure to UVL and environmental toxins (they’re called oxidants), your skin becomes damaged through a process called oxidation. In order to prevent or repair the damage, your body will need antioxidants (haha - see what science did there?). Fortunately, there are specific nutrients that act as antioxidants to support and maintain skin health.

While humans are not always designed to multitask, we do it anyway, especially when it comes to mealtime. We have all been guilty of snacking in front of the television, having lunch while working and eating dinner while reading or listening to music. While seemingly convenient, it has a large impact on our health and how our body treats hunger and nutrients.